Developed by Red Rat Software.
Concept by Chris Partington.
Design by Harry Nadler, Helen Elcock, Avril Rigby, Don Rigby and Chris Waterworth.
Licenced from Smiths Crisps Ltd.
Box art by John Haslam.
ATARI ST version:
Programming by Dave Elcock, Helen Elcock and Keith Watterson. Graphics by Bryan King, Barry S. Armstrong, John Palmer and William Harbison. Music and sound effects by Keith Tinman, Dean Evans and Jonathan Dunn.
COMMODORE AMIGA and IBM-PC versions:
Programming by Dave Elcock, Helen Elcock and Keith Watterson. Graphics by Bryan King and Barry S. Armstrong. Music and sound effects by Keith Tinman, Dean Evans and Jonathan Dunn.
SUPER NINTENDO version by Red Rat Software; further details unknown.
All versions released by Ocean Software in 1992.
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INTRODUCTION & GAME STATUS
After 11 years of blogging almost entirely about games from the 1980's, it has been brought to my attention that games from the 90's should be included as well, so I'm now trying to gradually ease my way into that area. Mind you, games from the 90's were not nearly as different across different platforms as what the 80's had, so the focus will still be largely on the 80's stuff. For now, though, the first comparison from the 90's since the comparison of The Simpsons: Bart vs. Space Mutants from 2021, is another Ocean game - the newest classic era game on the blog so far.
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DESCRIPTION & REVIEW
There have been plenty enough of computerized games based on the classic block game, Dominoes, but Push-Over's connection to that particular game is a bit fleeting. It is a puzzle game, for sure, but the idea is to knock down, or push over, a series of domino-like slabs, in one sequence, for which you need to control our protagonist, G.I. Ant, to get all the pieces linked. So, it may look like a cutesy single-screen platformer, but it's a cutesy puzzler instead. Because cartoony ants are cutesy.
Instead of having a different score for different domino pieces, in Push-Over, the pieces have different effects. The basic yellow ones only fall over, and the fully red ones cannot be pushed over, but the yellow pieces with various kinds of red stripes have different purposes: making bridges, reverse gravity, explode a new hole into the platform, delay, trigger the exit to open, and some others. As Push-Over has no finite amount of lives, you can try to wrench your head around the puzzles for as long as you wish, and a new passcode is given after each solved puzzle.
Push-Over is one of the very best puzzle games ever to be released under the Ocean flag, and it is truly a pity, that only four official versions exist. To anyone who ever dabbled with series of domino blocks with the sole intention of pushing a lot of them over in one long sequence, this game is for you. Seriously, though, it is one of the best puzzle games ever - at least for the 16-bit computers. We shall see about how the versions compare now.
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PLAYABILITY
As Push-Over was designed with the 16-bit computers with a single-button joystick as the primary controller in mind, there is not too much about the controls to unravel here. You control G.I. Ant as you would control any hero in a ladder-based platformer, except you need to pick up, carry and drop those domino-like pieces, and eventually push them over by using the one designated fire button. In the DOS version, the fire button's function is given to Space bar, and in the SNES version, you can use any of the action buttons (A/B/X/Y) for the same purpose. In the menu screen, though, the SNES version uses Select and Start buttons to move around the cursor between different options, and starting the game, respectively. Note, that you do need a correct level code having been input into the menu screen at all times - even the first level has a specific one - in order for you to be able to get to play the game.
If, and when, you ever get confused about the blocks, pressing P or F1 in the PC and ATARI ST versions during play will pause the game and show you a block descriptions window, and the same will occur in the SNES version by pressing Start. If you run out of time, the Pause window also shows you a hint on how to beat the current level. For some reason, even though the AMIGA/ST/PC manual tells you this Pause function should work in all three versions, I haven't managed to get the window appear in the AMIGA version, no matter what key I try to press. But this is why games were shipped with manuals in the olden days.
Being first and foremost a puzzle game, the game design cannot differ too much between platforms, so the only factor that might affect your enjoyment of the game is the game's pacing, which is mostly affected by loading times, but also by the animated cutscenes. If you want to consider it as such, the SNES version has an advantage over all the other versions, having all the cutscenes cut off, so you will get to the actual game much quicker. The DOS version features the cutscenes, but since you can load the game from hard drive, the loading times are practically non-existant. This means, that the AMIGA and ATARI ST versions suffer the most from having a slower-access form of media in use. That is hardly a gameplay-related issue, however, even if it is an inconvenience.
The AMIGA version differs from the rest in one quintessential manner: you are not restricted to a single push to solve each puzzle. That said, all the puzzles are designed to be solved in a single push, but the AMIGA version is the only one, where this is not a strict requirement. This, I am of a mind to conclude, is part of the reason why the AMIGA version is so disproportionately well considered over the other versions, and if you take into consideration, that this might actually be the original intended design, then why not. It does, after all, offer you some leeway into making progress in the game.
There are 100 levels in Push-Over, so there is a lot to get through, even if a single puzzle might not take more than a minute to solve. Solving a puzzle will reward you with a token, using which allows you to skip the current level, if you can't figure it out. All 100 levels have their own code, and as far as I can tell, all the codes are the same for all four versions, so having gathered the codes for one version will work in any other. And therein lies the first problem for this comparison: there really isn't much to compare, since all four versions play pretty much the same, aside from the loading times. Any other notable differences are to be found elsewhere. Of course, this could be also considered a good thing, since all throughout the 1980's, it was next to impossible for developers to try and get any game to play exactly the same on all platforms.
1. COMMODORE AMIGA
2. SUPER NINTENDO / ATARI ST / IBM-PC
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GRAPHICS
So, one might wonder, aside from loading times, what exactly was lost in translation when porting Push-Over to the Super Nintendo? The question shall be partly answered in this section, and hopefully, we will get some further differences between the four versions, even if we have to look through a microscope to find them.
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| Title screens, left to right: Commodore Amiga, Atari ST, IBM-PC (VGA), Super Nintendo. |
The game logo animation is the same for every version, although the timing changes slightly for some. All the letters turn to align themselves in a similar way to the blocks in the game, and our protagonist comes marching past the logo from the right side, then nonchalantly leans into the 'P' letter, "accidentally" pushing the entire row of letters, and then sneaking away to the left.
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| Selected intro animation frames, top to bottom: Commodore Amiga, Atari ST, IBM-PC (VGA). |
What we can see from these three sets of screenshots, if only barely, is that the ATARI ST version (in the middle) has the least colour in use, so some of the details are lost. The AMIGA and DOS versions look similar enough, although the AMIGA version is clearly the darkest of the three, while the DOS version looks like it's overexposed, with too much light in the dark areas.
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| Main menu, left to right: Commodore Amiga, Atari ST, IBM-PC, Super Nintendo. |
The SNES menu screen contains no actual animation, but in essence, the screen is rearranged from the actual box art, with the title logo, the domino blocks and G.I. Ant himself modeled straight after the cover art. Here, we also see the character who has replaced Colin Curly for the first time. In this version, it's Captain Rat, who has lost all of his money. I wonder, what demographic was this version tailored for.
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| Examples from the first area (levels 1-11), left to right: Commodore Amiga, Atari ST, IBM-PC (VGA), Super Nintendo. |
Contrary to what the opening animation would suggest, the first area of the game does not feature underground caverns, but rather a series of industrial areas with a distant city landscape in somewhat misty dusk. It gives us a clear environment to start the game in, though, showing all the necessary elements in an undisturbed manner, including all the different kinds of blocks, platforms and ladders, as well as the entrance and exit doors. The bottom left corner of the screen is taken by the timer, which shows us the time we have left for an approved solution of the puzzle; when the timer turns red, you can still try to solve the puzzle, but you will be disqualified. Only in the SNES version, you can see the level number at the bottom right corner, which is nice, but hardly necessary. Some of the background details have been altered slightly to accommodate the slightly narrower screen size on the SNES. Also, the DOS version looks to have higher contrast in the colours, which I quite like here.
After completing a level, you get to a screen, where each new level access code is given. The SNES version only shows the new code in the main menu screen, where you can start the next level, which can be considered either lazy or economical, but every other version shows five ants finding and carrying the appropriate number blocks into the middle of the screen from their designated spots in the number cavern. It's entertaining for the first couple of times, and it is another new graphical element to marvel, but it does grow old rather quickly. Better to have it than not, though.
Level code display screens, left to right:
Commodore Amiga, Atari ST, IBM-PC (VGA), Super Nintendo.
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| Pause / Block descriptions, left to right: Atari ST, IBM-PC (VGA), Super Nintendo. |
If you ever happen to pause the game, you will get to see the block purposes in a nice, designated table, which also offers some minor instructions while showing the blocks. This table takes a large area from the center of the screen, while still showing the level graphics in the background in the AMIGA/ST/DOS versions - presuming the pause screen actually exists in the AMIGA version. I haven't managed to get it to appear, but if it does, I'm certain it would look exactly the same as it does in the other two versions. The SNES version of the block instructions pause table takes up the whole screen, and you can see the blocks closer than in the other versions, which is a nice alternative.
Screenshots from the first cutscene between areas, left to right:
Commodore Amiga, Atari ST, IBM-PC (VGA), Super Nintendo.
After completing the first 11 levels, the game shows you a cutscene, where G.I. Ant emerges from an ant hill in a completely different environment than where you first left, and throws a bag of Quavers at the visibly salivating Colin Curly. In the SNES version, G.I. Ant pops up from the hole in the ground and slingshots a stack of money to Captain Rat waiting by the tree. So, at least there are some cutscenes in the SNES version.
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| Examples from the second area (levels 12-23), left to right: Commodore Amiga, Atari ST, IBM-PC (VGA), Super Nintendo. |
The second area is located in a series of Aztec temple ruins, but all the basic elements remain similar enough. The game continues on in a similar manner through eight other areas in its 100 levels, including outer space, computer hardware, Ancient Greece, Meccano buildings and medieval castles. To show them all in this comparison would prove pointless, as the screens do look largely the same in all versions. It's the material outside of the levels that make the difference.
And of course, with a PC version in the comparison, it wouldn't be complete without a screen modes comparison. Happily, there are only two EGA modes, as well as a 16-colour VGA mode, in addition to the 256-colour MCGA/VGA mode, which was used in the comparison. The two EGA modes differ not only by their amount of colours in use - 16 and 32 for top and bottom in the picture above, but the screen resolution is slightly different in the two. Rather oddly, the EGA modes have the same title screen as the ATARI ST version, albeit in considerably less colours; while the MCGA/VGA modes use the AMIGA title screen. However, the EGA modes have dropped the opening animated sequence. So, in a way, the DOS version features the most graphics of all versions.
Screenshots from the two EGA modes (16/32 colours) in the IBM-PC version.
As for the smaller details, I have to say the ATARI ST version is the least pretty of the three regular versions of the game, due to the smaller amount of colours in use occasionally. The DOS version looks occasionally better than the AMIGA version with its different colour dynamics, but it's really a matter of taste here.
1. IBM-PC / COMMODORE AMIGA
2. ATARI ST
3. SUPER NINTENDO
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SOUNDS
With only 16-bit versions in this comparison, one might assume it would be difficult to find a properly weak version regarding sounds... but no. We do have the IBM-PC version, offering us a beeper option, but the rest of our options are much closer to each other. Probably worth mentioning before we head on to all the different versions is, that all versions give you the option to listen to either music or sound effects, or have the game completely quiet.
Since the AMIGA is properly adept at only putting sound samples together in a bunch, it will not come as a surprise, that the soundtrack was specifically designed with that in mind. Each of the game's eleven areas have their own theme tune, and there are more tunes for the intro sequence, the cutscenes between areas and the menu screen, the last of which is also used in the passcode display screen. The opening sequence has a simplistic swing loop with nothing much happening in it, setting the mood rather nicely; the options menu screen and the passcode screen have a cheery melody that I'm guessing is supposed to be played with a flute or something, and is looped through three modulations before returning to its original key; and all the area tunes are more or less designed to fit the area design in some way or another, featuring tribal drums, medieval-sounding melodic percussions and spacey wobbly synths, just to name a few things from the soundtrack of 12 tunes. For sound effects, they included a few voice samples edited to fit the characters, some thumps, explosions, bell ringings and door effects.
The ATARI ST version sounds much like you would expect an Amstrad CPC or 128k Spectrum game to sound like, since the sound chip is rather similar, even if it is capable of sample playback. The developers merely opted for the usual sound code, as it takes less memory. The only part where you will hear some sampled sound effects instead of the synthesized ones is the animated opening sequence, which comes after the title screen. Oddly enough, the title screen features the same music as you get in the options menu and the passcode revelation screen. Some of the area-specific tunes are completely different from the other versions, to get around the no percussions problem. It's all good in its own way, but the sameness of the sounds used in all of the music takes away from the stylistic dynamics of the full soundtrack.
At last, the SNES gamers can be sort of proud for something in their version: the music sounds more or less exactly the same as the AMIGA soundtrack, if a bit punchier, although the swing tune from the intro is missing, and similarly replaced by the same menu music as in the ATARI ST version. The quality of the sampled sound effects is slightly muddier, and of course, with the opening animation also missing, those sound effects are also missing. But overall, it is better than what you get in the ATARI ST version.
So here's the tough part. The DOS version gives you four sound card choices when launching the game, plus sound off. The four sound options are PC speaker, Roland, Adlib and Soundblaster. To hear the Roland version, you will need to either have an actual external Roland MT-32 or similar sound device, or download an MT-32 emulator (Munt) and force DOSbox to use that emulator as the sound source.
The easiest one to get through is the PC speaker mode, since it doesn't have any music in it, so the full intro is skipped and the menu screen features no sounds, either. When you get into the action, though, the sound effects are surprisingly well made, and some tricks are being used to produce sound sample playback, in a similar way you sometimes hear them in 48k Spectrum games. You get sampled effects for when the blocks are falling down, Ant picks up a block, the completion bell ringing, the door opening, Ant falling down and various different block noises. All in all, rather a pleasant surprise for being a PC speaker mode.
From what I can tell, the AdLib and Soundblaster modes sound exactly the same. To me, this is the most familiar, nostalgic type of PC gaming soundset, as it is the cheapest of the lot, but still usually an infinitely better option than beeper. All of the music from the AMIGA version is now included, so that is already a good sign. The only real problem with the plastic Soundblaster sounds is, that whenever you proceed from one screen to another, the last played note will sustain over the new music until it has faded out. Also, the rhythm section is rather quiet, with just a hint of some hi-hats or other percussions whenever necessary, but nothing that would raise any undue attention. There are no sampled sound effects at all - everything has been synthesized in another digital sound information format. Overall, it's okay, since it features all the music, but it's all a bit too plastic and cheap.
PC gamers of old should recognize the Roland MT-32 sound device as almost something to be revered, so how does it compare against the more common Soundblaster/AdLib sounds? Well, the sounds used in the music are closer to real instruments, and have just as much sampled effects as the previous mode. The sound effects are just as synthesized, but here, they seem to exhibit an odd amount of reverb in certain bits, like when Ant falls down a level, or when the door opens. Sure, it does sound better than AdLib or Soundblaster mode, but it's not really separable from the other, unlike the beeper mode.
As you might have guessed, the AMIGA version gives us the highest quality overall sonic experience with this game. It is only proper, that animated cutscenes have as high quality voice samples as possible, with as high quality sampled music as possible (or necessary), and the quality is kept during play, as well. The SUPER NINTENDO version comes as a close second, while the soundcarded PC and ATARI ST versions fight for the next spot. Because of the relative lack and worse quality of voice samples in the ST version, and the 8-bit sounding music and in-game sound effects, the best of what the PC version has to offer does sound better overall. And then, the beeper mode in the PC version, while surprisingly well made, is barely a viable option by contrast.
1. COMMODORE AMIGA
2. SUPER NINTENDO
3. IBM-PC with any sound card
4. ATARI ST
5. IBM-PC with beeper
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OVERALL + VIDEO + ETC.
For anyone, who followed the game developing fashion in the early 90's, it will not come as too much of a shock, that the AMIGA version was Ocean Software's primary focus at that point, and therefore, the most fully developed version of Push-Over would come out on that platform. That said, all four versions of the game perform well enough where it counts, and I cannot really recommend one version over any other, apart from one consideration: the loading times are practically non-existent in the DOS and SNES versions. But this is how the FRGCB scoring turned out this time:
1. COMMODORE AMIGA: Playability 2, Graphics 3, Sounds 5 = TOTAL 10
2. IBM-PC with sound card: Playability 1, Graphics 3, Sounds 3 = TOTAL 7
3. SUPER NINTENDO: Playability 1, Graphics 1, Sounds 4 = TOTAL 6
4. ATARI ST: Playability 1, Graphics 2, Sounds 2 = TOTAL 5
4. IBM-PC with beeper: Playability 1, Graphics 3, Sounds 1 = TOTAL 5
To prove my previous point in the comparison's relative lack of necessity, here's a video accompaniment by yours truly. Of course, playing all the versions for yourselves is equally, if not more recommended.
In 1998, a SPECTRUM +3 version was in the works by a Russian developer called Abracadabra, and the demo was made available by CRG that year. The TRD disk image is available at Spectrum Computing, and it requires a Pentagon or Scorpion machine to run. Unfortunately, this demo only consists of blocks being turned over in a monochrome black-and-white screen with a manga girl as the background. The basic physics are there, just no game whatsoever.
Screenshot from the Spectrum +3 demo.
Much more promisingly, a C64 version was in the works by Michelangelo Carbonara and Raffox, with the last known preview version having been released in 2009. This preview features a placeholder loading screen, an interactive menu screen and somewhere around 30 levels, all fully playable as far as I know. No further development has happened since, but there is no word of it having been abandoned, either. Who knows, perhaps we will see this happen get finished some day.
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